Lloyd



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

L. G. JOHNSTONE.

THIRD RAIL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 10. 1903.

NO MODEL.

1 1 IV .A

UNITED STATES Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LLOYD G. J OHNSTONE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB ABENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THIRD RAIL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 51 ,175, da ed February 2, 1904. Application filed October 10, 1903. Serial No. 176,510. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LLOYD G. J OHNSTONE, a 1 citizen of the United States, residing in New York, borough of Manhattan, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Third Rails for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in third rails for electric railways by.

which a contact-plate is supported above the third rail and controlled in such a manner that direct contact with the third rail and the danger resulting therefrom is obviated, and thereby a so-called protected third rail obtained; and for this purpose the invention consists of a third rail for electric railways above which is superposed an auxiliary or contact rail supported on cushioning-springs and angle-irons attached to the supporting-block of the third rail and supporting the contact-rail and cushioning-springs, the upper portions of the angleirons being protected by suitable aprons extending downwardly from said contact-rail; and the invention consists, further, of certain details of construction which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved protected third rail for electric railways. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, drawn on a larger scale; andFig. 4C is aplan view of one of the washers interposed between the contactrail and the cushioning springs and between the cushioning-springs and their supporting angle-irons. I

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, (0 represents a third rail for electric railways, which ismade of the usual shape and construction and supported on a non-conducting block b of wood in the usual manner. The upper part of the block b is provided with smaller blocks 6, which serve to clamp the rail and so hold it in position.

At both sides of the third rail (0 are arrangedangle-irons (Z, which are attached by bolts (Z to the wooden supporting-block Z). The webs of the angle-irons (Z are slightly inclined toward the center plane of the third rail, as shown in Fig. 3, and provided with outwardly-bent flanges 6Z2 at their upper ends, on which is supported, by means of connecting-bolts 61 a contact-plate c, which is superposed at some distance from the head of the third rail (0 and supported on helical cushioning-springs f, between which and the under side of the contact-plate e and the upper flanges (Z of the angle-irons d are interposed washers The contact-rail e is made thicker at its middle portion than at its sides, so that the middle portion is raised above the ends of the fasteningbolts (Z and their screw nuts d.-

This reduces the weight of the contact -rail and permits the more convenient removal of snow and sleet from the raised middle portion without interfering with the fastening devices. The washers f are provided with central openings for the passage of the fastening-bolts d and with retaining flanges f at opposite sides, as shown in Fig. 4. The cushioningsprings f should be of suflicient strength to support a weight of from two hundred and fifty pounds and upward.

Alongside of the contact-rail and upper part of the angle-irons deXtend angular aprons g, which are held in position by the screw-nuts a? of the fastening-bolts. (i so as to prevent the access of snow, dust, and other sediment to the third rail to, so that the head or contact-surface of the same is kept clean and forms at any time a good and reliable contact with the contactrail 6 when the same is depressed by the passage of the cars. The cars are provided with a suitable contact-roller that presses with sufficient force on the contact-rail 6, so as to overcome the counter-pressure of the cushioningsprings f and form contact with the head of the third rail 60 and conduct thereby the current to the motors on the cars, said springs, however, preventing the contact-rail from forming contact with the third rail by the weight of a person falling thereon.

The contact-rail e, supporting angle-irons d,

and aprons. g are made of wrought-iron and rolled into shape into sections corresponding in length to the sections of the third rail. The ends of the angle-irons and the ends of the contact rails or plates 6, with their aprons, are separated from each other by a suitable nonconductor h, which also provides for the expansion and contraction of the sections after they are applied in position over the third rail, while the ends of the third rails contact with each other.

The advantages of my improved third rail are, first, that by the protecting-rail any danger to persons falling or otherwise coming in contact with the third rail is prevented, inasmuch as the springs are of suflicient strength to prevent contact of the contact-rail with the third rail by the weight of a person falling on the contact-rail; second, that the reliable and intimate contact between the contact-rail and the head of the third rail is secured when the contact-roller passes over the contact-rail, so that the current is transmitted by the contactrail to the motors on the cars; third, that the third rail is protected against exterior influences that may impair the contact with the contact-rail; fourth, that the top surface of the contact-rail can be conveniently cleaned of snow, sleet, &c., by mechanical devices applied to the cars or by any other means.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. A third rail for electric railways, consisting of a current-conducting rail, angle-irons at either side of the same, cushioning-springs supported by said angle-irons, and a contactplate supported by said cushioning-springs above the conducting-rail, the under side of the contact-plate being adapted to contact with the rail when depressed, substantially as set forth.

2. Athird rail for electric railways, consisting of a current-conducting rail, angle-irons at either side of the same, cushioning-springs supported by said angle-irons, and a contactplate thicker at its middle portion than at its sides supported by the cushioning-springs above the conducting-rail, the under side of the contact-plate being adapted to contact with the rail when depressed, substantially as set forth.

3. A third rail for electric railways, consisting of a current-conducting rail, a springactuated contact-plate supported normally at a suitable distance above the rail, and aprons extending downwardly from the sides of the contact-plate, substantially as set forth.

4. A third rail for electric railways, consisting of a current-conducting rail, angle-irons at both sides of the rail, cushioning-springs supported by the angle-irons, a contact-plate supported by the cushioningsprings, and aprons extending downwardly from the sides of the contact-plate, substantially as set forth.

5. A third rail for electric railways, consisting of a current-conducting rail, a contactplate above the same, cushioning-springs for supporting said contact-plate at a suitable distance from the head of the current-conducting rail, angle-irons extending at both sides of the current-conducting rail for supporting said springs, means for connecting the angleirons to the supporting-block of the third rail and the contact-rail, and aprons extending downwardly from the sides of the contactrail over the cushioning-springs to the upper ends of the angle-irons, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LLOYD G. J OHNSTONE.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, HENRY J. SU'HRBIER. 

